Time-Honored Traditions of the VTuber Minor Gallery
Ryoiki Tenkai...
Uh... First off, super thankful for the Gold Button. Moving forward, as a 2 million VTuber getting the Diamond Button, I'll work hard toward 100 million subs.
Yes~ Congrats again on the Red Button! Fighting, Yume!
"So what're you gonna do now, President? Already at 400k."
A nasal tone dragging out in a teasing lilt. Kim Young-ho looked up at Ayaka.
"...What's your angle this time."
"Nooo~ Even borrowing artists from other divisions~"
"......"
"I thought you were up to something big again..."
The president shut his mouth. Truth was, besides 'educating' that girl over the past few days, he hadn't done jack.
Frankly, there wasn't much else he could do. Messing with other divisions' artists once or twice was fine, but constant meddling would bring official pressure from New Media.
If it weren't for that airhead bitch...!!
It was all that VTuber Angel's fault for screwing things up. If she'd just exposed Eunha Seong's red pill like told, none of this mess would've happened.
Trademark infringement lawsuit, done and dusted.
BAM!!
"Goddamn it!!"
Unable to contain his rage, the president huffed—right as Ayaka coolly continued.
"Oh right! End of the month shareholders' meeting, yeah?"
"...What?"
"You knew, right? You're a division president after all..."
"O-Of course I knew..."
He'd totally blanked on it, tunnel-visioned on Seong Eunha. Late March: shareholders' meeting season. Pressure for 'structural reform.'
In other words, prime time for layoffs—no eyebrows raised.
And with layoffs on the table, options opened up.
Integrate New Media under Idol Division.
Then he'd have free rein over that VTuber Angel. Meaning, a way to crush Seong Eunha.
Calculation complete, the president shot up.
"I-I gotta step out for a bit."
Every minute counted. Lobby New Media folks, lay groundwork for merger.
Ayaka waved lightly at his retreating back.
"Bye~"
A faint smile played on her lips.
A week after the collab with Noa. NewTube hit 400k.
[Yume Yume]
[Subscribers: 410k]
"Insane..."
No fucking way, what the hell. Wasn't it just a bit over two weeks since debut...?
How's it already 0.4 Gold Button...?
[YUME DANCE #animation]
[Views: 10.84M]
Pudding's animation short had already blown past 10 million views. Lots of similar vids popping up lately—probably a challenge trend.
I pinched my cheek.
Streeetch—
"Gahhh..."
Pain felt real. Not a dream.
I fired up the PC and messaged Pudding.
Ding!
Caught off-guard by my sudden aggro, Pudding spammed question marks. I showed him NewTube and kept going.
The numbers weren't that explosive. In coin terms, just +33% gains.
When I first hired Pudding as editor, it jumped from 80k to 300k—+400%.
+33% was pedestrian by comparison.
But that didn't make it easy.
As subs grow, audience saturates, new inflows drop.
Maintain this pace, 2 million in a year? Doable.
Mission complete for Pudding. Time to dispense rewards.
His repeated No! Stop! (Don't stop!!) screams suggested he loved the reward.
I ignored the blaring DMs, shut down the PC, and flopped on the sofa.
"Anyway, collab's coming up soon..."
The TRPG collab I'd begged Noa for was right around the corner.
"Yes!!!! Do it!! No, let me do it...!!!!"
"Honestly, her being that thrilled creeps me out a bit..."
I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm the one asking, why's she so hyped? Made me suspicious of her real motives.
Ideally, I'd drag Latte unnie along too, but...
"Sorry. Got a schedule then..."
"Schedule? You unnie?"
"...No cap, for real. Battle Island tourney this time."
"Aha... game tourney..."
Prep for the game tourney. Guess unnie does her main gig too. With her game skills and fame, getting invited made sense.
"Come to think, I've never properly played games."
I do variety games on stream, but never MOBAs or FPS competitively. Early on, trending games pulled views better than those genres.
Doesn't mean I suck, though. Quick reflexes, solid game sense—I'm confident.
Hell, an idol with a high school grad brain like mine? No way I'd flail at some pastime.
-Agh this humid bastard door!!! Why can't I see!!
-Kraaaaaah
-I'll die
-Stressed today...
-Real skill issue...
...I'll be fine. Probably.
Anyway, back to TRPG. Four players total. Minus Noa, three total strangers.
Dog-person VTuber Baechu.
Pakistani editor dude Ali.
NewTube-famous baldy Jjusam.
Dubbed 'TRPG Pod' or 'Hero Party'—known among streamers. Subs around 200k each, solid tier.
"Still, first-timers gonna be first-timers."
Even for me, three new faces was daunting. Not shy like Latte unnie, and chit-chat's no issue, but...
"Can't go wild like in UMO."
Streams are basically streamer bullshitting. Polite intros kill the fun vibes.
Solution? Simple.
"Time to deploy the entertainment industry's time-honored social lubricant?"
TLC, basically. Not that kind—no selling body like some. Not shaking ass with oohs and aahs either.
I'm no sellout idol.
TLC means wining and dining guests. TRPG Pod's future VIPs—owing me a little favor? Smart.
With that, I called a familiar spot after ages.
[Emperor Galbi]
"Beef should do it...?"
I can confidently say—no Korean hates beef.